Washington, D.C. --Senator Mike Enzi called for private sector workers to have the same benefit of "flex" and "comp" time that federal workers already have, an option a bill being debated now on the floor of the Senate would provide.
"Federal employees enjoy the option of taking time off for extra work. That's the way the law was set up. The spouses of those federal employees who are employed in the private sector wonder why they can't have the same option," said Enzi. "When we allowed the federal employees to do it, we should have included all private sector employees in the legislation at the same time. We should have given them the same rights that the federal employees have. This bill, years later, would finally do that."
Enzi was speaking from the Senate chamber last evening on S.4, the Family Friendly Workplace Act, a bill he is cosponsoring. He said claims made by opponents that the legislation would be a disadvantage for workers are false.
"This Act does not eliminate overtime pay, nor does it eliminate the 40-hour workweek. That kind of talk is simply nonsense. These things are guaranteed in the bill," said Enzi. "What this bill would do is give the private sector employees what they want. Working parents want a more flexible schedule where they have more control and the ability to decide for themselves whether or not they want overtime pay or paid time off."
Enzi, an active member of the Labor Committee which referred the legislation to the Senate floor, said this bill is especially important for small businesses across the nation. He used examples from Wyoming to illustrate his point.
"I was able to visit with Peggy Mathiesen of Jackson earlier today. She is Wyoming's small business person of the year," said Enzi. "She and her workers wanted flex time and comp time, but they found out it was against the law. Federal workers in Jackson have this option, but she and her workers do not and that's not fair." -more-
Enzi said this was also the case with a small business in Cheyenne, whose representative testified before a Labor Subcommittee in favor of the Family Friendly Workplace Act in February.
"For 19 years this small business has asked for the same right as federal employees. The same right for flex time, the same right for comp time. They aren't asking for a special break that no one else gets. They are just asking for an even break," Enzi said.
Enzi emphasized the employees' ability to choose. They have the choice of "banking" overtime hours and using them for time off later or they have the option of "cashing" in the "banked" overtime hours for overtime pay. The legislation also allows the worker to choose the status quo.
"This bill has provisions in it that require both the employee and the employer to agree before anything can be changed. It isn't the case of forcing the employee or the employer to do it," he said. "Businesses across this country want this badly and it's usually the employees who bring the idea to the employer and ask, 'why can't we do this?'"
Enzi said it was time to update the "archaic federal laws that squelch modern workers' chance to have more freedom over their own schedule."
He said the desire for having the option of being able to have compensatory time and flexible schedules is popular among American workers, particularly women, who want more time that is their own to spend with their families.
"Before people speak out against this bill, they should take a close look at the language and what it really calls for, rather than relying on misstatements, misleading statistics and partisan posturing," said Enzi.
The Senate is expected to vote on ending the debate on the bill this afternoon.
